SS Guns 'n' Handcuffs
by flippednique
Summary: Harry Potter returns to Hogwarts as the new DADA Professor the same year Draco Malfoy returns as the Potions Professor. What little extra baggage Draco brings with him has a habit of tailing after Harry and he's getting quite attached too.
1. Bloody Password

Harry leaned back into his seat as the students got up to return to their dormitories. It felt weird to not be among the rushing crowd eager to get into the common room for some quality time together. Summers spent apart always took its toll on a Hogwarts student. It was probably because your house mates were basically family. Or at least that had been the case in Gryffindor.

That was one of the reasons why Harry accepted being a Professor. Of course the main thing was because his head of house had been in dire need of a good DADA Professor that wouldn't poof into disappearance after a year but he did want to do this. Harry had studied to be an Auror but after the first few missions he found that he didn't have the heart to do that kind of stuff anymore.

His attention lay elsewhere and being a Professor meant that he could watch over his children when it was time for them to come to Hogwarts. James was ten and he'd be attending Hogwarts next year while Albus was eight and Lily was seven.

At the moment it felt horrible to be in charge of nearly three hundred students in his house (Gryffindor) when his own three children where spending their days with Molly and Arthur at the Burrow.

Ginny refused to take time off the Prophet and she wouldn't be able to handle watching over the kids whilst juggling all the reports being thrown her way at the same time. The Burrow was the next best solution.

Presently, Harry looked around himself and couldn't help but be surprised by the current Hogwarts teaching staff. He knew that prying Neville away from the plants he'd grown to adore would be hell and hadn't been too shocked when he found out that the Herbology Professor was his fellow Gryffindor.

What did surprise him was a certain Slytherin's return to their Alma-mater. Harry figured that Malfoy was gifted in Potions. It seemed as if most Slytherin's were. He still hadn't expected him to return for the sake of teaching the subject to the future students of Hogwarts. It just wasn't what he thought the Slytherin would do.

"All right Harry?" Neville pulled him out of his puzzling, an expression of concern on his face.

"Dandy." Harry answered, steering the conversation into familiar territory. "I'd like to know what's up with Teddy though. Back in the train he seemed lost in thought and dare I say it love-sick. Earlier he kept flashing colors."

"Saw it too." Neville cut in. "He's known to do that when he's stressed. That habit of his started last year when he started courting Cole O'Brien. He's a year older than Teddy and is a Gryffindor."

"He fancies someone that strongly already?" Harry answered back shocked.

"I'll give it to you straight mate." Neville said with an air of depression. "Unlike us, it's easy for these kids to... express their appreciation of other people. And when I say appreciation, I mean appreciation."

Harry's cheeks flushed though he was very aware of what the meant. "Are you... Nev he's barely fifteen!"

"You're telling me." Neville sighed. "I've watched him since he was a first year Harry. You don't know how traumatizing it was to hear that he'd been fooling around with a Slytherin four years older than him."

"Merlin." Harry ran a hand through his hair. "And does anybody else know about this?"

"It's not my business to tell." Neville told him sternly. "Remember Harry, we're here as his teachers. We can't butt into his life because that's what parents are entitled to do."

Harry opened his mouth to counter that statement but Neville didn't let him say one word.

"I know that he doesn't have parents. But the responsibility of talking to him falls on to Andromeda." Neville smiled a bit. "Now I don't have the heart to tell a witch well into her golden years that her grandson's busy fornicating with the majority of Hogwarts and I'm sure the kid's being careful."

"Is he now?" Harry was having a finding it hard to breathe.

"Yup." Neville said. "Remind me to ask Ron about those conception spells he has in handy."

"Ah." Harry murmured dryly before sagging in his chair. "That's... You make me feel like I'm fifty."

"The life of being a parent." Neville grinned. "And just think. Jamie's on his way to being a first year. He might beat Teddy's record."

"Not on my watch." Harry grumbled but let his friend help him to his feet.

Together they walked towards the teachers' rooms just talking about the simple things. Neville was being considerate and letting him digest what he'd just learned about his Moonlet. Harry had half a mind of tracking the little bugger down and giving him the official **talk **but it was the first day back. He was sure Teddy wouldn't appreciate it.

Besides, without talking to Teddy Harry had enough to digest on his own. His godson was apparently chasing after a Gryffindor boy at the moment and he was positively stumped. In all his years, he'd never thought about the possibility of looking at someone of his own gender and thinking 'I wanna shag you'.

But of course he didn't find anything wrong with that. If you loved a bloke, it wasn't his business. It was yours.

"See you later." Neville said as they stopped in front of Harry's door. "I'm on patrol duty tonight."

Harry scoffed. "It's the first day back!"

"You never know when there's a little Forge and Gred Weasley somewhere." Neville cheered before he moved away.

Harry smiled at that, his mind coming back to think of the twins back then when they were younger. That seemed so far away.

"Are you going in or are you _going in_?" The portrait he stood in front of snapped. "Make a choice boy. In or _In_?"

Harry blinked but grinned at the portrait. "Is that a trick question?"

"Course it is." Fred Weasley smiled at him from inside the frames. Harry knew that several people who had died during the war had portraits here; he just never thought he'd see them.

"You my guardian then?" Harry asked.

"Yup. Here to let only those who you allow." Fred smiled. "It's good to see you Harry. Everything good? How's Georgie?"

"He's all right I suppose." Harry nodded. "His son's coming to study here soon. Fred is Jamie's age. You'll see him next year."

"Wicked." Fred breathed. They exchanged a few more words as Fred wanted to know about Molly and Arthur and the rest of his siblings. He was glad to hear that Bill's daughter was doing well in Beuxbatons although he did not really approve of a Weasley studying somewhere aside from Hogwarts. As that conversation drew to a close, Fred gestured with his hand. "Gonna pick out a password now?"

"I get to choose my password? Neat." Harry asked excitedly. Back when he was a student he'd wished that he could have chosen his own passwords. It meant getting in and out easier. "Uhmm... give me a minute."

"Take your time." Fred grinned. "I do advice you not to choose something that can be easily guessed. Like your kids' names, Gin's name, your favorite dessert, favorite Quidditch team, potion ingredient or just about anything personal. Choose something completely random."

"Like?" Harry prompted.

Fred looked all too ready to suggest just about anything and Harry seriously regretted asking when just about what would be the weirdest of words left the portrait!Weasley's mouth. Harry had thrown himself into that trap all too willingly and the git had them alphabetized!

"Do all portraits accost their new charges?" Harry wondered out loud breaking Fred's steady line of passwords.

"Just the ones that care." Fred assured him getting back to his list.

"I think I've got one though." Harry prompted. "How does Guns and Roses sound?"

Fred's nose wrinkled at that. "Guns and Roses? Honestly Harry how girly can you get?"

Harry grinned. "That's the idea."

"Ginny's been a bad influence on you." Fred decided before shrugging. "Never mind. No one's going to believe me if I told them that the password to Harry Potter's rooms is something as girly as bloody _Guns and Roses_."

"It's better than what you wanted me to use." Harry shot back cheekily. "Honestly Fred? _Fromage_?"

"Why would cheese be on the top of one's head whilst trying to guess the Boy-Who-Lived-Twice's password?"

"Why indeed." Harry smiled at Fred who grinned back as he began to internally open the door that would lead to Harry's rooms. It was just about to open when the portrait across from him blew open wide and out stepped a blonde Slytherin that made Fred cackle madly. "If it isn't little Draco Malfoy!"

The blonde's eyes widened as he stared at the frame, eyes moving to Harry but back to Fred once more. "Oh wonderful. Hello Weasley. Good evening, Potter."

"Good evening." Harry replied. He stared at the way Draco looked at Fred and felt that was missing something.

"I take it back. Not so little anymore!" Fred grinned, hands pressing up against his frame. "You didn't tell me you were going to teach at Hogwarts. I would have had them make me your guardian! Do you have the little one with you?"

Harry now knew he was definitely missing something. Draco sent Fred a small glare that was if nothing else a warning to shut his trap. For what reason Harry didn't know.

"I'll take that as a 'yes Freddie I do!'." Fred rubbed his hands together. "I can't wait to spend time with him Draco. Send him out sometime yeah?"

Draco sent Harry a contemplating look before shrugging then nodding. "All right. When I think that it's safe."

"Can't argue with that." Fred admitted. "Harry stop looking like we just shot you, I was just talking about a friend of Draco's."

"Indeed." Draco echoed before turning to his portrait and having a quick discussion about his own password then turning back to them. "I'll be turning in now. Good night."

"Good night!" Fred called out cheerily as the blonde disappeared into his rooms. The moment the portrait closed, Harry spun to face Fred.

"What was that?!" He demanded.

"A friendly interaction?" Fred shot back, eyebrow raised.

"You called him Draco!" Harry accused pointing a shaky hand at the portrait then at the Slytherin's door.

"Stop hyperventilating Harry!" Fred begged. "I'm a portrait! I can't do much than scream at Draco to get back here and give you CPR!"

Harry took a deep breath and raised a hand. "Know what? I just found out that my godson has been fraternizing with anything that walks. My brain's gone through too much tonight and though I know he is being safe, Merlin I'm hoping he truly is and that there's a reason this is happening, I would just like to rest."

"Not exactly stopping you here Harry." Fred's smile was just as tired. "To clear things up though, I have a lot of portraits distributed around the world. One of them used to be in Draco's office. George, Professor Snape, and I are celebrated Potions masters though I never got my degree. Draco's well on his way on becoming one. We're friends."

Harry's lips stayed firmly closed. "We'll talk more about this tomorrow Fred. When my head's all cleared yeah?"

"Sounds good." Fred nodded before he swung open. "Night Harry."


	2. Uncle Freddie!

The fact that being late was not going to lose him any house points was not enough to stop Harry from rushing out of bed as he had done back when he used to be a sleepy headed Gryffindor student. Of course his wand had sent out shocking waves of magic that woke him up a good hour from the required time for staff to make their way to the Great Hall, he still couldn't shake off the habit of rushing.

Another reason why he got up early was because he had a few conversations to make. One was with the portrait that deigned to guard his door.

"I suppose you're gonna want to talk about this now?" Fred grumbled silently. His portrait was set up in what you could suppose was an office. An office that you would so clearly recognize belonged to Weasley Wizard Wheezes back in Diagon Alley.

Whoever it was that had painted in Fred had gotten him quite the place to be stuck in for forever. At least the man still had something to fuss over.

"First off, I wanna make this clear." Fred began. "Draco and I are decent friends. He's not so bad once you get to know him and I do in fact know him. He's a grown man now, not really too different from his younger self."

Harry looked skeptical at that.

"Oh yes, you can make faces all you want but can you honestly look me in the eye and tell me that we ever gave the bloke a chance to be himself?" Fred challenged. "Mind, he was a Slytherin at heart, or so his father expected him to be. Not exactly easy for him to become buddies with Gryffindors and Harry Potter no less."

"I get you." Harry answered because he did and he knew that Fred was right. Merlin… he was just as bad as Draco who had held grudges against Muggles. He had held a grudge against a single spoilt and bratty kid and closed himself off of Slytherin entirely.

The look on his face informed Fred that he was slightly getting to the man and so he dared to push. "All right. I know that this might be difficult for you but I just ask that you give Draco a fresh and clean slate. He deserves a new start because on my word he is almost like a new person. At first, when he realized I could watch over him while he made potions, he looked like I was a bloody dementor. He got around to apologizing about all he'd said about my family and I got to know that the bloke wasn't half bad."

Harry nodded, though his mind was still wrapping around all this. "I can be friends with Malfoy."

"I don't doubt that." Fred promised. "And I'm grateful that you're willing to give him a chance."

"Then what is it that you need from me?" Harry asked, subconsciously feeling the many children in the castle waking up. "I'll be civil and grown up. Nothing more I can do."

"You'll be understanding." Fred told him giving him a look. "And you won't judge him."

"You know better than anyone else that I don't just judge people." Harry grumbled but nonetheless let it go. "I'll do my best to behave. You have my word."

"Okay." Fred nodded before smiling. "You best be on your way now Harry. Professors can't be any later than their children and you being DADA and the infamous Harry Potter. Merlin I already hear the rumors."

"Of course you can." Harry mumbled before stalking towards the great hall. He had baby firsties to give schedules to and the talk to a certain Hufflepuff.

Meanwhile Fred watched as Harry sauntered to the Great Hall. He wondered if the man was even aware that he walked that way. Fred wasn't even sure he had ever seen Harry walk with that kind of swag when he had been alive.

"He's changed."

Of course that was inevitable. Many things have changed since the war and Fred wasn't really saying no to that because he liked the changes. Bar the fact that he was dead now and apparently everyone had moved on.

"Stop thinking negative thoughts."

Fred looked up and smiled sadly at the blonde. "You know I can't really help it Draco. When you're dead you only have everything that's already happened. You don't have new things to think about or to experience like… at all. You just, Merlin you just _can't_ help it."

"I know." Draco answered flatly. "I go through that thinking stage a lot and I do not have the excuse of being dead."

"You mean you don't have the privilege of thinking about being dead." Fred pointed out. "I remember how you used to be Draco, all pale and no emotion. You looked like one of the statues you guys had at the Manor."

"I still find it astonishing that you know what the Manor looks like." Draco noted. "Let alone what you'll see inside it. Out of curiosity, which one do I look like the most."

Fred frowned. "Ugh, I don't remember. But you _used _to look like that third one by the left with the spiked up hair. I think that he was the only Malfoy to ever wear his hair like that."

"He was." Draco nodded. "That would be Grandfather Leo… You said "used to". Does that mean I don't look like it anymore?"

"No… well whenever he's with us you're more alive than you usually are." Fred smiled a bit. "Kind of like the Draco that got his first original made potion to work looked."

"That was one time." Draco insisted. "And before you say anything I did not jump… the explosion just made you think that."

"Draco love, I am a portrait." Fred grinned. "I am no longer affected by anything a cauldron may have to spit out at me so say whatever you want to say I still say that you jumped about a foot in the air."

"There is no dealing with you is there?" Draco deadpanned.

"Nope." Fred answered honestly. "Now let him out for a few minutes. I'm pretty sure you leave for the Great Hall in a bit and I won't have company for at least the better part of the day."

Draco looked worried. "Fred…"

"No one but you and Harry live at this part of the castle Draco. I wouldn't have you bring him out if I wasn't a hundred percent sure nothing would happen to him."

Draco still looked unconvinced.

"Do you not trust me?" Fred pressured.

Draco's eyes widened just a bit but Fred had seen it. Knowing that Draco was caving in to his wishes he decided to push it. "Do you want me to return to my dark and morose thoughts?"

"Oh fine!" Draco threw out. "Of all the things a Weasley could do better than a Malfoy, the last thing on my mind was guilt tripping!"

"That's what everybody says!" Fred cheered and watched as the blonde walked into his room. The portrait closed for a bit and Draco's guardian glared at him.

"Must you always be so noisy Weasley?" Nathan Cross was a painting that dated probably a century back. The painter had captured Cross' vivid green eyes and dark black hair with point-blank accuracy.

"Not all paintings regret being put up here." Fred pointed out. "Just because you can't get over being placed to guard after living people doesn't mean you have to hate the paintings who don't mind."

Nathan huffed and Fred was prepared to elaborate that even Snape was happy to be placed in the Headmaster's office even if he had to watch some incompetent fool take over the task of taking care of the students.

Much to everyone's relief, the portrait door opened and Draco walked out, eyes sweeping across the hall before ushering whatever it was hiding behind him.

Fred grinned at the small thing and though it had been nearly a year and a half he was still that small.

"Hey there Scorpy." Fred cooed, drawing the sleepy and definitely smaller blonde to blink at him grumpily. He obviously did not like being woken up.

"Come now." Draco urged though he let his son lean against his legs for a bit. "Don't tell me you can't remember whose voice it was that just greeted you."

Scorpious frowned at that and he glanced up at his father. At eight he only came up to Draco's hips which wasn't necessarily a bad thing since his father was very tall.

"I'm up here Scorpy!" Fred sent Draco a look because he knew just how distracted both blondes could be when just woken up.

Draco sighed and gently tipped his son's head upward. Scorpious whined at that but once he caught sight of the portrait, his mercury grey eyes widened like saucers.

"Uncle Freddie!" He cried moving away from Draco's legs. He reached a hand out to touch Fred's portrait. "It's been so long! Father said that we would come back to see you but then the Ministry wouldn't let us get a Pork – Fort..."

Fred smiled as the younger Malfoy pulled on a face. "I believe the word you're looking for is-."

Draco, upon sensing Fred's helping answer, sent the portrait a look and shook his head. Over the year that Fred and Scorpious had been separated, the boy had learned to not liking it when people answered for him. He wanted to be able to answer it himself.

"Portkey!" Scorpious declared proudly before shaking his head. "Merlin that took me ages to remember."

"At least you actually remembered it." Fred told him. "You're only eight aren't you Scorpy? It's amazing that you're so smart now. Just like your Daddy."

Draco shook his head but smiled shyly at the portrait. Over the years of bonding with Fred's portrait he'd learnt that sometimes most compliments thrown his way were genuine and Fred did not do it for the sake of getting something from Draco. But simply because that was what Fred thought of him.

"Father." Scorpious drew in Draco's attention, a small pout on the boy's face. "I'm hungry."

Fred laughed. "At least some things don't change. You still eat like a teenage boy. I'm a bit surprised you haven't turned into a beach ball!"

Scorpious gasped at that and he crossed his arms over his chest. "Malfoy's don't become beach balls. It's not in their genesi- genetic makeup to become any fatter than I already am."

"And I don't think a Malfoy would even know what a genetic makeup was." Fred sent Draco a questioning look. "Been watching a lot of Muggle telly have you?"

Draco was more than ready to deny that, but things don't work well when you try to lie and there was a child present.

"Oh yes. Father got it in the Manor." Scorpious happily reported. "It took a while to get it to start working properly and once it did Dad and I've been watching this show that tell you all about Muggles and their weird things."

Scorpious inhaled deeply. "They even have this weird thing called a pantsbottom!"

"A laptop." Draco corrected his son, bopping him lightly on the head. "And I thought you were hungry?"

"Oh, I am." Scorpious admitted as I he had just remembered. He turned to Fred and gave a wave. "I'll see you later Uncle Freddie."

"All right squirt." Fred waved back. "You eat enough for the both of us all right?"

"Hashbrowns and eggs. Your favorites." Scorpious promised. He made to turn back suddenly looked back at Fred's portrait. "Maybe we can ask the headmaster for an empty portrait in our rooms so you can come in yeah?"

Fred smiled at Scorpious. "I'd like that Scorpy."

Scorpious gave a decided nod. Draco let them talk a bit more before ushering his son back into their rooms and summoning a house elf for his breakfast.

"You'll make it happen won't you father?" Scorpious asked after swallowing a mouthful of eggs. "Have a portrait for him in our rooms I mean."

"I'll do my best to make it happen." Draco promised before he tidied his son up and sent him to his room to get a start on his lessons.

He had his own lessons to make, in fact his first potions lessons with a mix of Ravenclaws and Slytherins was in fifteen minutes. He hurried to make sure his son was comfortable and knew how to reach him before he rushed outside.

"Remember Scorpious," he called out in farewell. "Stay inside the rooms at all times-."

"And no opening the doors or anyone." Scorpious promised. When he saw Draco open his mouth even more, he frowned. "Did I forget something Father?"

Draco chuckled. "Yes."

"What is it?"

"I love you." Draco pulled his son in for a hug, nuzzling his face into that smooth platinum blonde hair.

Scorpious hugged his Father just as tightly. "Oh Father, I could _never _forget that!"

A few more seconds in his son's embrace, Draco managed to pull himself away that he stumbled out of his portrait door. Fred was still in his portrait, obviously waiting for him.

"You did amazing Draco." He commented. "Sweetest boy I've ever met."

"He likes you a lot Fred." Draco answered.

"I like him a lot too." Fred said before he pulled on a serious face. "I'm guessing since he isn't coming to lessons with you no one else knows about him. You, me, the headmaster, am I right?"

"Yes." Draco nodded. "And I am going to inform Snape's portrait as soon as I am able."

"All right." Fred nodded. "I'll make sure nothing happens to him Draco."

"Thank you." Draco breathed, relieved that he could be assured that even if he was at classes, Fred would be there to watch out for his son. Someone would come get him if something were ever to happen.

"Don't mention it." Fred smiled before pointing away. "Go on now little Draco. Not really a great impression to be late on your first day."

Draco laughed but rushed to his first class anyways. "And whose fault is that?"


End file.
